Top Oil Well Drilling Companies in India Powering the Energy Sector

Headquarters: Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is India’s premier state-owned oil and gas exploration and production enterprise and a global energy powerhouse. Established in 1956, ONGC has grown into the backbone of India’s upstream petroleum industry, consistently contributing over 70% of the country's crude oil and nearly 60% of its natural gas output.

With a fleet of more than 110 drilling rigs—including both onshore and offshore units—ONGC leads large-scale exploration across diverse terrains and water depths, from the deserts of Rajasthan to the deep waters of the Krishna-Godavari basin.

• Operates one of the largest integrated drilling programs in South Asia
• Pioneered deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration in the Eastern offshore region
• Invests in digital drilling platforms, real-time well monitoring, and AI-enhanced exploration tools
• Strong commitment to sustainability and energy transition, with a growing portfolio in carbon capture and geothermal projects

Key Projects: Mumbai High (legacy offshore field), Bassein & Satellite Fields, KG-DWN-98/2 (deepwater gas field poised to boost domestic production significantly)

As a Maharatna PSU, ONGC not only fuels India’s energy infrastructure but also plays a strategic role in national economic growth, energy diplomacy, and technological innovation in the upstream sector.

Headquarters: Dehradun, Uttarakhand

As the largest oil and gas exploration and production company in India, ONGC dominates the drilling landscape. It operates over 110 drilling rigs and accounts for more than 70% of India’s domestic oil production.

• Owns state-of-the-art onshore and offshore drilling equipment
• Pioneer in deep-water and ultra-deep-water exploration in the Krishna-Godavari basin
• Actively investing in digitization, AI, and real-time drilling analytics

Key Projects: Mumbai High, Bassein, KG-DWN-98/2

Headquarters: Duliajan, Assam

Oil India Limited (OIL) is a Navratna public sector enterprise and India’s second-largest national oil and gas company, operating primarily in the upstream segment. With a rich legacy dating back to 1889, OIL plays a crucial role in ensuring energy access and stability in the northeastern and western regions of India.

The company manages operations across challenging terrains including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Rajasthan, where logistics and environmental conditions require robust technical capabilities and deep regional expertise.

• Operates a fleet of over 35 advanced drilling rigs (onshore)
• Specializes in difficult terrains, including remote forest and hilly zones
• Employs enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques and integrated reservoir management
• Actively pursuing exploration of unconventional resources like shale oil, tight oil, and CBM
• Investing in sustainability initiatives and digitization for safer, smarter drilling

Key Projects:

• Assam-Arakan Basin: One of India’s oldest and most prolific hydrocarbon basins
• Jaisalmer PML Block: Key site for tight oil exploration
• North East Field Development Program: Focused on boosting domestic gas production and regional energy infrastructure

With a strong emphasis on domestic exploration, regional development, and social responsibility, Oil India Limited is a strategic pillar of India’s quest for energy self-reliance and equitable growth.

Headquarters: Duliajan, Assam

Oil India Limited is the second-largest national oil explorer and primarily operates in the Northeastern states and Rajasthan.

• Operates more than 35 drilling rigs
• Known for pioneering operations in remote and logistically challenging areas
• Exploring shale and tight oil formations

Key Projects: Assam-Arakan Basin, Jaisalmer PML Block

Headquarters: New Delhi

Jindal Drilling & Industries Ltd. (JDIL) is one of India’s leading private sector offshore drilling service providers, with a strong presence in both shallow and deepwater drilling markets. Part of the diversified O.P. Jindal Group, JDIL has carved a niche for itself in the oilfield services segment through a mix of innovation, strategic partnerships, and operational excellence.

Jindal Drilling primarily offers offshore contract drilling services and is known for its modern fleet of jack-up rigs and semi-submersibles capable of handling complex offshore environments. The company provides turnkey exploration and production (E&P) solutions, including directional drilling, well logging, and mud logging services.

• Owns and operates a fleet of high-specification jack-up rigs suitable for operations in the Indian Ocean and beyond
• Strong track record of multi-year contracts with key national and international oil companies
• Committed to implementing the latest drilling technologies and maintaining global HSE (Health, Safety & Environment) standards
• Focuses on maximizing rig uptime and reducing non-productive time through predictive maintenance and digital monitoring systems

Key Clients: ONGC, Cairn India (Vedanta), Hardy Exploration & Production India

With its strategic offshore drilling capabilities and a focus on customer-centric, safe operations, Jindal Drilling plays a critical role in supporting India’s offshore exploration efforts and contributing to the broader energy mission of the country.

Headquarters: New Delhi

A key private sector player, Jindal Drilling focuses on offshore contract drilling and allied services.

• Operates jack-up rigs and deepwater drillships
• Provides turnkey E&P services including directional drilling and logging
• Works closely with international clients and national oil companies

Key Clients: ONGC, Cairn India, Hardy Exploration

Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Aban Offshore Limited is a pioneering name in India’s offshore oil drilling industry and was once the country’s largest private offshore drilling contractor. Established in 1986, the company has been instrumental in expanding India’s deepwater and ultra-deepwater drilling capacity, both domestically and internationally.

Aban owns and operates a fleet that includes jack-up rigs, semi-submersibles, drillships, and floating production units (FPUs). The company’s fleet is capable of working in water depths ranging from shallow continental shelves to complex deep-sea environments, making it a strategic player in offshore exploration.

• Proven operational expertise in India, Southeast Asia, West Africa, and the Middle East
• Offers a comprehensive portfolio of offshore services: exploratory drilling, well completion, and field development
• Experienced in harsh-environment drilling and long-term rig management contracts
• Collaborates with national and international oil companies for long-term projects
• Currently undergoing financial restructuring, yet maintains a key presence in the sector through asset redeployment and joint ventures

Key Projects:

• Offshore blocks in the Arabian Sea
• Deepwater campaigns in Malaysia and Indonesia
• Strategic service contracts with NOCs in the Middle East

Despite facing financial and operational headwinds in recent years, Aban Offshore continues to retain strategic value in India’s offshore energy infrastructure. Its legacy, technical assets, and operational knowledge make it a valuable ally in India's offshore exploration ambitions.

Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Once India’s largest offshore drilling contractor, Aban Offshore owns a significant fleet of jack-up rigs, drillships, and floating production units.

• Deepwater expertise with operations in India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East
• Provides end-to-end offshore drilling and production services
• Temporarily restructuring due to financial headwinds, but still an influential name in the sector

Key Projects: Arabian Sea, Malaysia offshore contracts

Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Shiv-Vani Oil & Gas Exploration Services Ltd. is one of India’s most established private-sector oilfield service providers, with a strong focus on onshore drilling, seismic surveys, and integrated well services. The company has been instrumental in supporting India’s hydrocarbon exploration efforts across some of the country’s most complex geological terrains.

With more than three decades of experience, Shiv-Vani brings deep expertise in coal-bed methane (CBM), shale gas, and tight gas exploration. Its fleet includes state-of-the-art land rigs, seismic data acquisition units, and stimulation equipment capable of supporting multi-zone hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling programs.

• Operates across key sedimentary basins such as Cambay, Jharia, and Krishna-Godavari
• Provides end-to-end well services, including drilling, logging, cementing, and testing
• Partners with public and private oil companies in India and the Middle East
• Strong emphasis on high-efficiency drilling and safety compliance across field operations
• Expanding into new energy verticals including geothermal exploration and unconventional gas recovery

Key Projects:

• Jharia CBM Block (Jharkhand): A flagship coal-bed methane drilling campaign
• Cambay Basin (Gujarat): Focused on low-permeability reservoirs and unconventional gas production

Shiv-Vani’s ability to deliver high-performance operations in logistically challenging and remote regions underscores its value to India’s growing energy ecosystem. As exploration targets shift toward unconventional resources, Shiv-Vani is well-positioned to meet the evolving demands of the energy sector.

Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Shiv-Vani is a leading private-sector player in onshore drilling and seismic services.

• Specializes in CBM (coal-bed methane) and shale gas exploration
• Offers integrated well services including stimulation, cementing, and testing
• Operates across India and in select overseas locations

Headquarters: Multiple Indian Locations (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan)

While India’s upstream oil and gas sector is predominantly served by domestic giants, global oilfield service leaders Halliburton and Schlumberger play a pivotal supporting role. These multinational companies bring decades of global expertise, advanced technology, and end-to-end oilfield services that elevate the standards of India’s drilling operations.

Both companies have been long-standing partners to India’s national and private E&P firms, assisting in complex drilling campaigns, high-pressure/high-temperature (HPHT) wells, horizontal wells, and tight reservoir development.

🧠 Service Capabilities:

• Directional and horizontal drilling solutions using MWD (Measurement While Drilling) and LWD (Logging While Drilling) technologies
• Comprehensive cementing and stimulation services, including acidizing, hydraulic fracturing, and sand control
• Integrated well construction and completion engineering
• Real-time reservoir characterization and AI-driven digital platforms for well optimization
• Seismic interpretation, wireline logging, and formation evaluation for improved resource mapping

🇮🇳 Strategic Presence in India:

• Field service hubs and training centers across Gujarat (Baroda), Andhra Pradesh (Kakinada), and Rajasthan (Jodhpur)
• Collaboration with ONGC, Oil India, and Reliance Industries for high-end technical services and drilling programs

By offering cutting-edge technologies and global best practices, Halliburton and Schlumberger continue to play a transformational role in enhancing the technical capabilities, safety benchmarks, and recovery efficiency of India’s drilling sector.

Though not Indian-owned, global service providers like Halliburton and Schlumberger have deep roots in India’s drilling ecosystem. They support most of India’s major E&P projects by providing:

• Directional drilling and MWD/LWD tools
• Cementing, stimulation, and reservoir evaluation
• Real-time monitoring and digital well delivery platforms

Presence: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan

India’s energy landscape is at a pivotal juncture. With a national goal to reduce crude oil imports by enhancing domestic production, the role of oil well drilling companies has become more critical than ever. These companies are not only tasked with meeting short-term production goals but also with laying the foundation for long-term energy sustainability and technological leadership.

By embracing digital transformation, deploying environmentally responsible drilling practices, and expanding into unconventional resources such as coal-bed methane (CBM), tight oil, and shale gas, these companies are driving a new era of innovation in India's upstream sector. From mature fields in the Mumbai High to untapped frontier basins in the Northeast, their exploration efforts are unlocking the country’s latent hydrocarbon potential.

Moreover, with support from forward-looking government policies such as the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) and Open Acreage Licensing Program (OALP), India's drilling companies are increasingly empowered to explore new geographies with enhanced operational autonomy.

As India aims for a diversified and self-reliant energy future, these top drilling companies are not merely service providers—they are strategic enablers of economic growth, energy equity, and national resilience.

Their drills may go deep underground, but their impact reaches far beyond—fueling the energy ambitions of a nation determined to chart its own path to power.

India’s energy sector is undergoing rapid transformation. As the country looks to reduce import dependency and boost domestic production, these drilling companies will be pivotal in:

• Unlocking frontier basins
• Driving E&P technology adoption
• Strengthening energy self-reliance

With increased investments, policy support, and technological innovation, India’s top drilling companies are not just boring holes in the earth—they’re powering the nation’s future.